Matthew Funk Essays - Regions Of The Czech Republic,

Matthew Funk Block 2 Geography Report 1-5-99 Location: Absolute: The center of the country of Czech Republic is located at 50 degrees North and 16 degrees East. Relative: The Czech Republic is in the North-Eastern Hemisphere. It is also located on the continent of Asia. The Czech Republic is in the geographic center of Europe. The country also shares borders with four other countries (Poland, Germany, Austria, and Solvakia). The Czech territory is placed between two principal mountain systems in Europe, The Hercynian and Alpine-Himalayan. Place: Physical: The Czech Republic has four major mountain ranges, 3 of them are protected by the country. Krkonose (Giant Mountains) This range stretches 40 kilometers into Bohemian territory, thus creating a natural border between itself and Poland, and is also the Czech Republic's highest mountain range. The highest peak is Mt. Snezka. Several of the other peaks reach elevations of over 1,500 meters. This range was proclaimed a national park in 1963. Hruby Jesenik (Ash Mountains) This range is the second highest of the ranges, and is located in northern Moravia. The highest peak in this range is called Praded Peak, and is 1,491 meters high. This range is also protected and has been since 1969. Sumava (Bohemian Forest) This is the third highest range in the Czech Republic, the highest point in this range is Plechy Peak (1,373 meters above sea level). This range extends 125 kilometers into Bohemia from the border, thus creating a natural border with Germany. This range is also protected by the Czech Republic, and has been since 1962. It also was declared a national park in 1991. The end of the range that sticks into Germany is also protected. Beskydy This range is located in the eastern part of the Czech Republic in northern Moravia. The highest point is 1,000 meters above sea level. It's terrain is rolling hillsides, forests, and pastures. This terrain is ideal for hiking, camping, skiing. The Czech Republic lies in the temperate climate zone of Europe, which makes pleasantly mild summers and winters with only moderate amounts of precipitation. The lowlands temperature average in July is 20 degrees Celsius and in the mountains is 10 degrees Celsius. The lowland temperature average in January is -1 degrees Celsius and in the mountains is -6 degrees Celsius. The Czech Republic has many different kinds of vegetation. Spruce and fir trees are most common in the republic's forests, particularly at higher elevations, while mixed forests of oak, ash, and maple are characteristic in lower zones. The uncultivated lowlands are covered mostly with clover, reeds, and broom grass. Human: In 1997, the Czech Republic had a total population of 10.3 million people, five million males and 5.3 million females. Three quarters of the people live in urban areas. The population density is 131 inhabitants per sq. kilometer, while the total growth in population in the Czech Republic is 0.8 persons per 1,000 inhabitants. The capital, Prague, has a population of 1,213,800 people. Until 1994, an outstanding feature of the Czech Republic was its stable population growth, with the exception of the two world wars. Since 1994, however, the population has been decreasing and is expected to have fallen to around 10 million in the year 2020. After World War II, the number of births fell from over 200,000 a year to less than 150,000 in 1970. In 1974 this figure had increased to 195,000 but by 1996 had fallen gradually to 90,000. The number of new born babies per 1,000 inhabitants was 8.8 % in 1996. The number of deaths per 1,000 inhabitants gradually increased from World War II until 1983 (13.0%). Since then it has decreased and in 1996 it was only 10.9 %, thus corresponding to western European levels Thanks to its long rich history and the diversity of its natural environment, the Czech Republic is a great attraction to the millions of guests who visit it each year. The jewel in the Czech crown is Prague with its gorgeous and rich architectural styles but the country is also dotted with numerous historical city centers, castles, and chateaux. Outside the urban areas, deep woods, rock formations and limestone caves are among the many interesting sites the Czech Republic has to offer. Since the Czech lands lie exactly on the border of Eastern and Western Europe, the country has come under the influence of several different cultures throughout the course of history. Each of these influences indelibly marked the face of the country with the architectural or artistic monuments. This accounts for